Belvidere City Council considers proposal for downtown market on Thursday nights

Tuesday

Jun 10, 2014 at 10:00 AMJun 10, 2014 at 4:10 PM

By Ben StanleyRockford Register Star

BELVIDERE — In an effort to mimic the success of Rockford’s City Market, a member of the Belvidere-Boone Planning Department is making a push for an entertainment-oriented downtown market festival on Thursday nights at Hub Plaza.

Belvidere already hosts a daytime farmers market on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hub Plaza called Hometown Market, but Gina DelRose, an associate planner for the planning department, said that for a city market to be successful, “you need that fun entertainment atmosphere.”

In a memo addressed to Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain on May 14, DelRose wrote that Rockford’s City Market, which runs from 3 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and includes live music as well as food and alcohol vendors, has exceeded expectations.

“When (Belvidere) began the Hometown Market three years ago, it was held on Thursday night in an attempt to recreate a similar atmosphere and success story,” DelRose wrote. “It was quickly evident that for such an event to be successful during a week night, later hours with food and entertainment vendors would be needed. Although various activities were held during the market, the food and entertainment vendors were not able to be obtained.”

DelRose requested that the city allow a Thursday night market festival called “Belvidere’s First Thursdays” to be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month from July through October.

The proposed market would include food vendors and entertainment.

The City Council began discussion about whether to approve the request during a committee of the whole meeting Monday night, but Chamberlain anticipated a month of discussion before the board votes on whether to approve or deny DelRose’s request.

In addition to a farmers market comprised of local vendors, DelRose hopes to make cooking demonstrations and a wine and cheese tasting event a part of First Thursdays.